
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Climate Controls 211
Press AUTO to return to automatic
operation and the air conditioner
runs automatically as needed. With
Stop/Start vehicles, the A/C will
return to eco a/c operation.
For max a/c, press A/C. The
indicator will turn amber.
For eco a/c, press A/C again. The
indicator will turn green. This setting
balances fuel economy and air
conditioning comfort. In warm
weather conditions, auto stops may
occur more frequently and the
vehicle interior may be warmer as
compared to the max air
conditioning setting. This setting
allows higher humidity inside the
vehicle and window fogging before
the engine restarts.
@:Press to turn on recirculation.
An indicator light comes on. Air is
recirculated to quickly cool the
inside of the vehicle or to reduce the
entry of outside air and odors.
If selected during cool or cold
weather, the windshield and
windows may fog. Turn off
recirculation to help clear the
windshield and windows. Auto Defog :
The climate control
system may have a sensor to
automatically detect high humidity
inside the vehicle. When high
humidity is detected, the climate
control system may adjust to
outside air supply and turn on the
air conditioner. The fan speed may
slightly increase to help prevent
fogging. If the climate control
system does not detect possible
window fogging, it returns to normal
operation.
To turn Auto Defog off or on, see
“Climate and Air Quality” under
Vehicle Personalization 0145
ii.
Rear Window Defogger
K:Press to turn the rear window
defogger on or off. An indicator light
on the button comes on to show that
the rear window defogger is on. The
rear window defogger only works
when the ignition is in ON/RUN. The
defogger turns off when the ignition
is placed in the ACC/ACCESSORY
or LOCK/OFF position.
The upper lines on the rear window
are antenna grids and are not
intended to defrost the glass. The rear window defogger can be
set to automatic operation. See
“Climate and Air Quality”
under
Vehicle Personalization 0145
ii.
When Auto Rear Defog is selected,
the rear window defogger turns on
automatically when the interior
temperature is cold and the outside
temperature is about 7 °C (44 °F)
and below. The auto rear defogger
turns off automatically.
If the vehicle is equipped with
heated outside rearview mirrors,
they turn on when the rear window
defogger button is on and help to
clear fog or frost from the surface of
the mirror. See Heated Mirrors 047
ii.
Caution
Do not try to clear frost or other
material from the inside of the
front windshield and rear window
with a razor blade or anything
else that is sharp. This may
damage the rear window
defogger grid and affect the
(Continued)

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Driving and Operating 219
3. Turn the steering wheel to gostraight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
. Steering or Cornering Skid —
too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force.
. Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
. Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and steer the
way you want the vehicle to go. The vehicle may straighten out.
Be ready for a second skid if it
occurs.
. Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues —such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface —and slow
down when you have any doubt.
. Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate. Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep-standing or flowing water.
{Warning
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Driving and Operating 221
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and
the road creates less traction or
grip, so drive carefully. Wet ice can
occur at about 0 °C (32 °F) when
freezing rain begins to fall. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels to
spin and makes the surface
under the tires slick.
. Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0241
ii.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) improves vehicle stability
during hard stops, but the
brakes should be applied sooner
than when on dry pavement.
See Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 0237
ii.
. Allow greater following distance
and watch for slippery spots. Icy
patches can occur on otherwise clear roads in shaded areas.
The surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when
the surrounding roads are clear.
Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
. Turn off cruise control.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
signal for help. Stay with the vehicle
unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside
Assistance Program 0388
ii. To get
help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
. Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
. Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO), which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:
. Clear snow from the base of
the vehicle, especially any
blocking the exhaust pipe.
. Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the vehicle side
that is away from the wind,
to bring in fresh air.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air
inside the vehicle and set
(Continued)

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
252 Driving and Operating
Other Vehicle Lane Changes
ACC will not detect a vehicle ahead
until it is completely in the lane. The
brake may need to be manually
applied.
Do Not Use ACC on Hills and
When Towing a Trailer
Do not use ACC when driving on
steep hills or when towing a trailer.
ACC will not detect a vehicle in thelane while driving on steep hills. The
driver will often need to take over
acceleration and braking on steep
hills, especially when towing a
trailer. If the brakes are applied, the
ACC disengages.
Ending ACC
There are three ways to
disengage ACC:
.
Step lightly on the brake pedal.
. Press
*.
. Press
5.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
5is pressed
or if the ignition is turned off.
Cleaning the Sensing System
The camera sensor on the
windshield ahead of the rearview
mirror and the radar sensors on the
front of the vehicle can become
blocked by snow, ice, dirt, or mud.
These areas need to be cleaned for
ACC to operate properly. For cleaning instructions, see
“Washing the Vehicle”
under
Exterior Care 0358
ii.
System operation may also be
limited under snow, heavy rain,
or road spray conditions.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Driving and Operating 255
{Warning
The Parking Assist system does
not detect children, pedestrians,
bicyclists, animals, or objects
located below the bumper or that
are too close or too far from the
vehicle. It is not available at
speeds greater than 8 km/h
(5 mph). To prevent injury, death,
or vehicle damage, even with
parking assist, always check the
area around the vehicle and
check all mirrors before moving
forward or backing.
The instrument cluster may have a
parking assist display with bars that
show“distance to object” and objectlocation information. As the object
gets closer, more bars light up and
the bars may change color from
yellow to amber to red.
When an object is first detected in
the rear, one beep will be heard
from the rear. When an object is
very close (<0.6 m (2 ft) in the
vehicle rear, or <0.3 m (1 ft) in the
vehicle front), five beeps will sound
from the front or rear depending on
where the object is detected. Beeps
for Front Parking Assist (FPA) are
higher pitched than for Rear Parking
Assist (RPA).
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)
If equipped, when the vehicle is
shifted into R (Reverse), RCTA
displays a red warning triangle with
a left or right pointing arrow on the
RVC screen to warn of traffic
coming from the left or right. This
system detects objects coming from
up to 20 m (65 ft) from the left or
right side of the vehicle. When an
object is detected, three beeps
sound from either the left or right,
depending on the direction of the
detected vehicle.
Turning the Features On or Off
TheXbutton on the center
console is used to turn on or off the
Front and Rear Parking Assist and
Rear Cross Traffic Alert at the same
time. The indicator light next to the
button comes on when the features
are on and turns off when the
features have been disabled.
To turn the rear parking assist
symbols or guidance lines on or off,
see “Rear Camera” underVehicle
Personalization 0145
ii.
RCTA can also be turned on or off
through vehicle personalization. See
“Collision/Detection Systems” under
Vehicle Personalization 0145
ii.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Driving and Operating 263
{Warning
FPB may alert or automatically
brake the vehicle suddenly in
situations where it is unexpected
and undesired. It could falsely
alert or brake for objects similar in
shape or size to pedestrians,
including shadows. This is normal
operation and the vehicle does
not need service. To override
Automatic Braking, firmly press
the accelerator pedal, if it is safe
to do so.
Automatic Braking can be disabled
through vehicle personalization. See
“Front Pedestrian Detection” in
“Collision/Detection Systems” under
Vehicle Personalization 0145
ii.
{Warning
Using the Front Pedestrian
Braking System while towing a
trailer could cause you to lose
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
control of the vehicle and crash.
Turn the system to Alert or Off
when towing a trailer.
Cleaning the System
If FPB does not seem to operate
properly, cleaning the outside of the
windshield in front of the rearview
mirror may correct the issue.
Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA)
If equipped, the SBZA system is a
lane-changing aid that assists
drivers with avoiding crashes that
occur with moving vehicles in the
side blind zone (or spot) areas.
When the vehicle is in a forward
gear, the left or right side mirror
display will light up if a moving
vehicle is detected in that blind
zone. If the turn signal is activated
and a vehicle is also detected on
the same side, the display will flash
as an extra warning not to change
lanes. Since this system is part of the Lane Change Alert (LCA)
system, read the entire LCA section
before using this feature.
Lane Change Alert (LCA)
If equipped, the LCA system is a
lane-changing aid that assists
drivers with avoiding lane change
crashes that occur with moving
vehicles in the side blind zone (or
spot) areas or with vehicles rapidly
approaching these areas from
behind. The LCA warning display
will light up in the corresponding
outside side mirror and will flash if
the turn signal is on.
{Warning
LCA does not alert the driver to
vehicles outside of the system
detection zones, pedestrians,
bicyclists, or animals. It may not
provide alerts when changing
lanes under all driving conditions.
Failure to use proper care when
changing lanes may result in
injury, death, or vehicle damage.
(Continued)

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
264 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
Before making a lane change,
always check mirrors, glance over
your shoulder, and use the turn
signals.
LCA Detection Zones
1. SBZA Detection Zone
2. LCA Detection Zone
The LCA sensor covers a zone of
approximately one lane over from
both sides of the vehicle, or 3.5 m
(11 ft). The height of the zone is
approximately between 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
and 2 m (6 ft) off the ground. The
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
warning area starts at approximately the middle of the vehicle and goes
back 5 m (16 ft). Drivers are also
warned of vehicles rapidly
approaching from up to 25 m (82 ft)
behind the vehicle.
How the System Works
The LCA symbol lights up in the
side mirrors when the system
detects a moving vehicle in the next
lane over that is in the side blind
zone or rapidly approaching that
zone from behind. A lit LCA symbol
indicates it may be unsafe to
change lanes. Before making a lane
change, check the LCA display,
check mirrors, glance over your
shoulder, and use the turn signals.
Left Side Mirror
DisplayRight Side Mirror Display
When the vehicle is started, both
outside mirror LCA displays will
briefly come on to indicate the system is operating. When the
vehicle is in a forward gear, the left
or right side mirror display will light
up if a moving vehicle is detected in
the next lane over in that blind zone
or rapidly approaching that zone.
If the turn signal is activated in the
same direction as a detected
vehicle, this display will flash as an
extra warning not to change lanes.
LCA can be disabled through
vehicle personalization. See
“Collision/Detection Systems”
under
Vehicle Personalization 0145
ii.
If LCA is disabled by the driver, the
LCA mirror displays will not light up.
When the System Does Not
Seem to Work Properly
The LCA system requires some
driving for the system to calibrate to
maximum performance. This
calibration may occur more quickly if
the vehicle is driven on a straight
highway road with traffic and
roadside objects (e.g., guardrails,
barriers). During a trip, the LCA
system is not operational until the
vehicle first reaches a speed of
24 km/h (15 mph).

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
266 Driving and Operating
camera to detect lane markings
between 60 km/h (37 mph) and
180 km/h (112 mph).
{Warning
The LKA system does not
continuously steer the vehicle.
It may not keep the vehicle in the
lane or give a Lane Departure
Warning (LDW) alert, even if a
lane marking is detected.
The LKA and LDW systems
may not:. Provide an alert or enough
steering assist to avoid a
lane departure or crash.
. Detect lane markings under
poor weather or visibility
conditions. This can occur if
the windshield or
headlamps are blocked by
dirt, snow, or ice, if they are
not in proper condition, or if
the sun shines directly into
the camera.
. Detect road edges.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Detect lanes on winding or
hilly roads.
If LKA only detects lane markings
on one side of the road, it will
only assist or provide an LDW
alert when approaching the lane
on the side where it has detected
a lane marking. Even with LKA
and LDW, you must steer the
vehicle. Always keep your
attention on the road and
maintain proper vehicle position
within the lane, or vehicle
damage, injury, or death could
occur. Always keep the
windshield, headlamps, and
camera sensors clean and in
good repair. Do not use LKA in
bad weather conditions.
{Warning
Using LKA while towing a trailer
or on slippery roads could cause
loss of control of the vehicle and
a crash. Turn the system off.
How the System Works
The LKA camera sensor is on the
windshield ahead of the rearview
mirror.
To turn LKA on and off, press
A
on the steering wheel.
When on,Ais green if LKA is
available to assist and provide LDW
alerts. It may assist by gently
turning the steering wheel and
display
Aas amber if the vehicle
approaches a detected lane marking
without using a turn signal in that